The Cork | Wisconsin wineries to check out this summer (2024)

What’s better than drinking wine outside in the summer?

Drinking wine outside a winery, of course.

By now, tourists have inevitably flocked to their favorite winery.But now is a great time to branch out.

Instead of hearing about a new winery through the grapevine, I’ll lay out a winery from each Wisconsin Winery Associationregion.

Door County Region

Wisconsin’s thumb is a tourist hub. Boasting wineries up and down the peninsula, Door County is in no short supply of great wine.

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But what about having just plain fun? Harbor Ridge Wineryin Egg Harboris all about that.

“We don’t take ourselves seriously, but we do take wine seriously,” said Pamela Flasch, general manager.

Harbor Ridge,which has been in business since 2010, started with two wines but has expanded to 15, Flasch said.

The young winery made its first estate-grown wine last year with Marquette grapes. The grapes were blended with cabernet franc and Door County cherries to create Crimes Against Vines.

Harbor Ridgehas about 300 vines planted on site.

“We have more room to plant vines, which is in the plans for the future,” Flasch said.

But business talk isn’t about expansion and acreage. Fun and relaxation are business models. It’s evident on its wine labels, too.

Do any of these sound like stuffy wine labels? Call Me Cab, Gimme One Good Riesling and Two Rows Make a White.

“Somebody will come up with a name, just on the fly, and everybody laughs,” Flasch said. “Then we know right away that’s the right name.”

HARBOR RIDGE WINERY

WHERE: 4690 Rainbow Ridge Court, Egg Harbor.

HOURS:10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m, Monday through Saturday.

FOX VALLEY REGION

Summer is for camping, right? Why not camp on a winery? Win-win.

You won’t be roughing it at Trout Springs Winery.You’ll be glamorous camping or “glamping.”

A queen-size bed, fridge and microwave are a few of the amenities glamping offers. The vineyard started glamping last year, which became a smash-hit.

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“Everybody that did camp last year were just over-the-top, crazy happy with everything,” said Andrea DeBaker, owner.

She said that glamping visitors were often hiking at a local park and decided on staying at Trout Springs, too. Other visitors were heading to Door County from Milwaukee or Chicago and gave glamping a try.

Don’t feel like staying overnight? There’s a lot to do at Trout Springs. In addition to viewing 5 acres of cold-hardy grapes, the winery also has a fish hatchery (with, you guessed it, trout) and chickens that walk the property.

It’s that rural atmosphere keeping visitors sipping on wine and taking it slow.

“It’s just a very relaxing place because we are kinda out there,” DeBaker said.

TROUT SPRINGS WINERY

WHERE: 8150 River Road, Greenleaf

HOURS:11 a.m.-7 p.m., Wednesday to Sunday; closed Monday and Tuesday.

GLACIAL HILLS REGION

About 15 minutes away from the popular resort city of Lake Geneva is Staller Estate Winery.

The vineyard opened in 2007 and has 2 acres of Wisconsin-grown grapes, according to owner Wendy Staller.

Being close to Lake Geneva is prime territory for attracting tourists and those looking for a good time.

Stallersaid the winery hosts a lot of tourists from Chicago and bachelorette parties. Now that it has been around for a decade, Staller Estateis an established tourist spot of its own.

People can experience grand views of the vineyardwhile enjoying their favorite glass of wine. Stallersaid summer is the perfect time to visit because of the outdoor seating and an all-enclosed gazebo that’s perfect rain or shine.

“The vineyard is in prime condition for people wanting to sit out there now,” Stallersaid.

All that wine drinking is going to make you hungry. Wine dinners are offered about six times a year, Stallersaid. The dinners pair wine with local food. Reservations are required.

STALLER ESTATE

WHERE: W8896 County A, Delavan.

HOURS:11 a.m. to 6 p.m.daily.

DRIFTLESS REGION

No vineyard? No problem.

Keeping it local doesn’t mean owning any acreage for Alwyn Fitzgerald,owner and winemaker at Fisher King Winery.

He gets his grapes from across Wisconsin and produces wine at its site in Verona,just outside of Madison.

The winery opened in 2011 in Mount Horeb.Demand was hot for Fisher King,but the facility was too small to keep up retail sales. Fitzgeraldsaid the winery moved “the whole kit and caboodle” to its current site in November.

“We got the doors open, so here we are now,” Fitzgerald said.

The urban site doesn’t dismay Fitzgerald.Instead of focusing on picturesque scenery of vineyards and rolling hills, he’s concentrating on damn good wine. Fisher Kingwon medals at competitions in New York, Sonoma and San Diego.

“What it’s reflective of is the quality of the wine,” Fitzgeraldsaid. “It’s not about hubris or anything.”

The awards are notonly a display of Fisher King’sprowess, but also Wisconsin’s growing presence in the wine world, Fitzgerald said.

FISHER KING WINERY

WHERE: 1105 Laser St., Verona.

HOURS: Noon-4 p.m.Sunday; noon-7 p.m.Monday-Wednesday; noon-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m.Saturday.

NORTHWOODS

Wine and beer can make a great pair. River Bend Vineyard & Wineryis proof that a winery and brewery can live in harmony. It’s nearly neighbors in Chippewa Falls with a brewery you may have heard of — Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company.

Brewery staff members like to share sights of the city to tourists and often directthem to River Bend.

“Leinenkugels is very good at telling people what else there is to do in Chippewa Falls,” said Donna Sachs, owner and winemaker.

River Bend’s vineyardwas planted in 2006, and the tasting room opened in 2009. The vineyard is about 6 acres, Sachs said.

It’s not always wine time at River Bend.The site also is a distillery, producing vodka, bourbon and gin. The gin is made from grapes, Sachssaid. But don’t expect any wine notes — the gin is distilled and is a neutral spirit, which is flavored with juniper berries to create its crisp pine flavor.

Those willing to make a trip won’t have to leave Fido at home;dogs are welcome at the winery — at least outside.

“You’re more than welcome to bring your well-behaved dogs here,” Sachs said.

RIVER BEND VINEYARD & WINERY

WHERE: 10439 33rd Ave., Chippewa Falls.

HOURS: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.Saturday and Sunday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m.Wednesday-Friday; closed Monday and Tuesday.

The Cork is a monthly wine column by Jordan Tilkens. Contact him at 920-993-7148,jtilkens@gannett.com; on Twitter@GWMJTilkens